Q1: What is the broader context in which these verses appear?
These verses follow the laws of retaliation (Qisas) and address another critical social institution: inheritance and wills. They establish the initial obligatory command for writing a will, which was later abrogated (mansukh) in favor of the detailed, fixed shares of inheritance outlined in Surah An-Nisa (4:11-12).
Q2: What does Verse 180 command, and what is its Arabic text?
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ إِن تَرَكَ خَيْرًا الْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ۖ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُتَّقِينَ
“Prescribed for you, when death approaches one of you and he leaves wealth, is to make a bequest for his parents and near relatives according to what is acceptable – a duty upon the righteous.”
Maududi explains this was the first injunction regarding inheritance in Islam. It makes writing a will (wasiyyah) an incumbent duty when two conditions are met: death is approaching, and one is leaving behind wealth. The bequest must be fair and reasonable (bil-ma’ruf), and fulfilling it is described as a mark of true God-consciousness (taqwa).
Q3: Was the command in Verse 180 permanent?
No. Maududi clarifies it was abrogated (mansukh) by the later, specific verses in Surah An-Nisa (4:11-12, 176), which fixed the precise inheritance shares for parents, spouses, children, and other relatives. After that revelation, a Muslim must distribute wealth according to those divine fixed shares and cannot use a will to alter them. A will is now only valid for bequests to non-heirs (such as charities or distant relatives outside the fixed shares), and even then must not exceed one-third of the total estate, as established by the Prophet’s Sunnah.
Q4: What does Verse 181 say about altering a will, and what is its Arabic text?
فَمَن بَدَّلَهُ بَعْدَ مَا سَمِعَهُ فَإِنَّمَا إِثْمُهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يُبَدِّلُونَهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“But whoever alters it after he has heard it, then its sin is only upon those who alter it. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.”
This verse establishes the sanctity of a duly witnessed will. Whoever tampers with it — whether a witness, an heir, or anyone else — bears the sin personally and fully. The closing attribute, “Allah is Hearing and Knowing,” serves as a severe warning: God heard the original declaration and knows every intention behind its alteration. No deception is hidden from Him.
Q5: Does Islam allow any intervention in a will before it is finalized? What does Verse 182 say?
فَمَنْ خَافَ مِن مُّوصٍ جَنَفًا أَوْ إِثْمًا فَأَصْلَحَ بَيْنَهُمْ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“But if one fears from the testator some injustice or sin, and he makes peace between them, then there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”
Yes — Verse 182 provides a specific exception. If a wise person (such as a witness or family member) recognizes that a testator is about to commit injustice (janafan — bias or deviation from fairness) or outright sin (e.g., depriving a rightful heir), they are permitted to intervene, counsel, and mediate before the will is finalized. This act of preventive reform (islah) carries no sin. The verse closes with God’s attributes of Forgiveness and Mercy, signaling His approval of actions that prevent injustice within the framework of His law.
Q6: What is the key distinction between the interventions described in Verses 181 and 182?
The distinction lies in timing and intent. Verse 181 condemns altering a will after it has been duly heard and witnessed — that is tampering, and it is sinful. Verse 182 permits intervening before the will is finalized, with the purpose of correcting injustice and establishing fairness. One is an act of corruption; the other is an act of reform.
Q7: What enduring principles does Maududi draw from these three verses, even after the abrogation of Verse 180?
Maududi identifies four lasting principles:
The spirit of the law — the primary concern is always justice and fair provision for family, a spirit preserved and perfected in the later fixed-share laws of Surah An-Nisa.
The sanctity of legal declarations — a duly executed will is a sacred trust, and knowingly altering it is a major sin carrying full personal accountability.
Preventive justice and reform — there is a place and reward for wise, discreet intervention to stop an injustice from being legally codified, provided it is done to establish fairness according to divine guidelines.
The gradual evolution of Islamic legislation — these verses illustrate how Islamic law was revealed in stages, with initial general commands later specified and perfected, always with the ultimate aim of building a just and merciful social order.
Messages from Quran 